During our inaugural Spirit Week, we celebrate the essential work our employees do in research, education, outreach and patient care.

Below, we profile four employees who embody the pillars of UNMC's mission.

Research

Gurudutt Pendyala, Ph.D.

Name: Gurudutt Pendyala, Ph.D.

Title: Instructor in the department of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience

Vital contribution: Dr. Pendyala is a lauded post-doc researcher who works in the field of neuroscience. He looks for ways to protect the brain from damage caused by diseases such as HIV/AIDS as well as from toxic substances such as methamphetamine, a drug that has a high prevalence in rural states such as Nebraska.

Education

Name: Carol Lomneth, Ph.D.

Carol Lomneth, Ph.D. (right)

Title: Associate professor of genetics, cell biology and anatomy

Vital contribution: Dr. Lomneth teaches gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy to medical students. Her work with the students helps lay the solid educational foundation they need in their journey toward becoming physicians.

Outreach

Athena Ramos

Name: Athena Ramos

Title: Program coordinator in the College of Public Health's Center for Reducing Health Disparities

Vital contribution: Among her many efforts to fight disparities, Ramos helped power an initiative to make all public places in Omaha smoke-free and she works to promote smoking cessation among youth and minority populations, which have proven to be vulnerable to targeted marketing of tobacco companies.

Patient care

Name: Charles Enke, M.D.

Charles Enke, M.D.

Title: Chairman and professor in the UNMC Department of Radiation Oncology

Vital contribution: Dr. Enke specializes in the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer. Using cutting edge technology and techniques, Dr. Enke and his team have provided care and hope for thousands of patients and their loved ones.